Reborn
by Prime627
Summary: Ratchet doesn't believe in reincarnations. So when he goes for a walk and finds proof of one, his processor is changed forever.


Optimus is dead.

There, thought Ratchet. He finally admitted it to himself. He had waited for years for Optimus to be returned to him, yet there was nothing, only dreams of his oldest friend.

He sat back in his chair as he touched the data-pad he was supposed to be working on, but he had lost all interest in what he was supposed to be doing and only wondered what could have been.

He remembered his last moments with Optimus.

_Optimus was preparing to go with the Core. He was staring down the Well, a large smile on his face._

_ Ratchet joined him. "Optimus, you don't have to go."_

_ "But I do, Ratchet. It is the only way to save Cybertron and Cybertronians alike."_

_ "What will we do without you?"_

_ "Oh, Ratchet. Do you not see? I am but a mere soldier you have followed. Soldiers will come and go. I am not destined to stay here while Primus has set my path."_

_ Ratchet watched his oldest friend for the longest time before he finally looked down the Well. They stood silently, the rest of Team Prime behind him, secretly hoping Ratchet had the ability to coax their leader away from the Well._

_ "What do you think it feels like?" Ratchet looked back at his friend._

_ Optimus' optics closed for a moment and he tipped his helm back. "It will feel like heaven."_

Ratchet pushed away from the desk and he walked to the window. He needed to do something. He needed to convince himself he was still worthy of being a medic after he let Optimus Prime himself merge with the Core and become one with the AllSpark.

Permenantly.

Arcee was busy. She had been one of the closest Cybertronians to Optimus, but now she was actively seeking out her partners Cliffjumper and Tailgate. Optimus had promised her that they would be returned to her in time.

But he had said nothing about himself returning to his team.

Ratchet buried his face in his servos and his shoulders dropped. He didn't know what to do, not without some form of guidance from either Ultra Magnus or Optimus Prime.

He figured he would go for a walk to clear his helm. He left his MedBay after locking it up, and then he started walking in no particular direction.

Bumblebee and Smokescreen raced by, Bumblebee controlling the traffic of the returning Cybertronians and Smokescreen racing him purely for enjoyment. The medic was surprised that they lasted as long as they did, but he wasn't going to trample them. The humans so fondly pointed out that opposites attracted. Why would he preach something different when it was obviously the truth?

He went down an alley that he knew well. But something caught him completely by surprise.

A box tipped over as if it was shoved and garbage spilled out over Ratchet's pedes. He stared at it in confusion for a long time. Boxes did not simply fall over by themselves. He decided to investigate, wondering if he would find one of Predaking's sparklings again.

What he found made his Energon turn to ice.

A sparkling yawned up at him. It was completely outfitted in stunning armor. Stunning blue and red and silver armor. The sparkling opened familiar blue optics and he (Ratchet didn't even have to check to know it was a mechling) reached for Ratchet as if he was the sire and he had simply roused his little one from slumber.

He reached in, gently touched the sparkling's helm to see if it was real, then lifted it out of the garbage.

The sparkling was healthy and strong. He smelled of Earth after it rained and not of garbage. Ratchet immediately wrapped him up in his arms and held him against his chest. The sparkling fell asleep immediately as if it was the most natural thing to do, as though Ratchet had not just lifted it from a box in an alley.

Ratchet looked up at the sky, wondered if Primus had left the little one there on purpose for him to find, and thanked the Creator.

He carried little Optimus home, knowing something would come from this. Of course it would, he thought. Primes, especially Optimus Prime, never got away with ordinary lives.

Meanwhile, the medic was being followed by Vector Prime and Solus Prime, the entities in charge of reincarnations.

They watched the medic hold the little former Prime. Then Solus and Vector went back to the Core, celebrating over the victory of reuniting the Prime with his medic.

Ratchet didn't believe in reincarnations, but he couldn't deny it, not with proof in his arms that slumbered and twitched.

He laid Optimus down on the berth and he laid beside him like they used to when they were best friends as young Ratchet and Orion Pax.

Optimus opened an optic for a moment, closed it, and snuggled into the medic's chest like Ratchet used to.

The medic thanked and praised Primus for this wonderful gift.


End file.
